


White Noise

by yellowleather



Series: Swan Queen Week 2016 [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week, Swan Queen Week Summer 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 15:15:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7762801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowleather/pseuds/yellowleather





	White Noise

Sleep had never come easy to Emma Swan. Years of looking over her shoulder and group homes and new beds made it hard to get comfortable when it came to sleep. Before she’d come to Storybrook, Emma often fell asleep on her couch studying case files until her eyes were so heavy she couldn’t see straight. There were a few times when she’d been strapped for cash, Emma even considered selling the barely used mattress in her bedroom. 

 

Once she came to Storybrook the ridiculous nature of the town kept her mind so busy that rehashing the day’s events was usually enough to put her to sleep.

 

But now?

 

Now Emma had her own house. 

 

_ Home. This is your home, Emma _ . She reminded herself. She'd long since broken things off with Killian and it left her nights very quiet. Even with Henry sleeping in the other room. 

 

Emma looked at the clock. It was well past midnight and there was nothing on tv. She'd already scrolled through Netflix four times and came up empty. There was no news to catch up on. And no one to call. 

 

_ Well… _ Emma thought.  _ It wouldn't hurt to try _ . 

 

She picked up her phone and opened her messages. She scrolled down until she reached the one name she thought might still be up. 

 

**‘You awake?’**

 

Emma dropped her phone in her lap and bit her lip. Not two minutes later, her phone buzzed. 

 

‘ **I never would have picked you as a booty call kind of person.’**

 

Emma smiled. She sat up straight in her bed and crossed her legs. 

 

‘ **It's not a booty call weirdo. I just can't sleep.’**

 

**‘I see you've been picking up your insults from Henry.’**

 

**‘Come over?’**

 

**‘This is sounding more and more like a booty call.’**

 

**‘It's whatever you want it to be babe’** Emma's thumb hovered over the send key. She deleted the ‘babe’ and added a sunglasses emoji. 

 

When no immediate response came, Emma started to panic.  _ Shit _ . She thought.  _ Too far. I knew it. I'm such an idiot.  _

 

**‘I may have had one too many glasses of wine to drive.’**

 

‘ **I have Oreos’**

 

A few moments later a haze of purple smoke filled Emma's room. When the smoke cleared Regina was standing by the door with her arms crossed over her chest. 

 

“I hope that last text wasn't meant to provoke me into driving drunk, sheriff.” 

 

“Nah. I just like seeing you do the poof-thing.”

 

“I live to amuse you.” Regina moved toward the bed. “And where are said Oreos?”

 

Emma opened the drawer to her nightstand and tossed a pack of mini-Oreos at Regina. 

 

“What is this?” Regina scoffed. 

 

“Oreos.”

 

“This,” Regina sat on the foot of bed, tucking one leg under her. “is a lie.”

 

Emma grinned. “Well if you don't want them…”

 

“I didn't say that.” Regina ripped open the pack and popped three cookies into her mouth. “You bring out the worst in me, you know that?”

 

“Yeah. But you love it.”

 

“Emma I've gained at least five pounds since we became friends.” Regina tossed a cookie at her. “You're hell on my figure.”

 

“Remind me why I invited you over?”

 

“For a booty call.” Regina deadpanned. 

 

Emma flopped back against the headboard. Regina laughed and finished the last of the cookies. 

 

“Why did you ask me over?”

 

Emma shrugged. “You're the only person I thought would be awake.”

 

“Yes, but why are you awake?”

 

“I dunno.” Emma pulled her knees up to her chest. “Just...couldn't sleep.”

 

“God. You're as bad as Henry.” Regina stood and threw the empty bag in the trash. “He used to be up all night. I finally got him a radio and we’d tune the channels until he found something he liked and let him fall asleep with it on.”

 

“I remember that. When we were living in New York he did that.” Emma thought back. “He liked the jazz station.”

 

Regina nodded. “He's got good taste.” She wandered around Emma's bedroom, oddly at ease in such a personal space.  _ Must be the wine. _ She thought as she found herself on what used to be Killian’s side of the bed. “So why don't you get a white noise machine?”

 

“That's what I have you for.” Emma explained, very matter-of-fact. “I even paid you in cookies.”

 

Regina put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. She pursed her lips in mock disgust. “Very funny.”

 

“I'm a riot.” Emma picked at the blanket under her. “I don't know. I guess I've just always had a hard time sleeping by myself.”

 

“So you wanted to have a sleepover?”

 

Emma shrugged again, looking like a child. 

 

“You know,” Regina sat down on the bed. “I've never been to a sleepover. The whole staying up late, gossiping, braiding each other's hair thing? That was ‘unbecoming of a future queen’ according to my mother.” 

 

“My sleepovers were more of the eat too much candy, watch scary movies and break into the liquor cabinet variety.” Emma said. “The few I was invited to anyway.”

 

“Aren't we a pair?”

 

Emma leaned over suddenly and picked up her laptop. 

 

“Wanna watch a movie with me?”

 

Regina shrugged. “What else am I going to do?” Regina swung her legs up onto the mattress and crossed her ankles. 

 

Emma popped open the laptop and started up Netflix. “You pick. I've hunted enough tonight.” She shoved the computer at Regina. 

 

Regina chewed on her lip while she scrolled. Emma settled into the mattress and watched the woman beside her. Regina's face was more entertaining than anything on film. She would read through each description and raise an eyebrow or snarl slightly if she didn't like it. If it sounded interesting she would squint her eyes and tilt her head, considering it before moving on. Emma knew she'd finally decided on a movie when the wrinkles deepened around Regina's eyes and a soft smile played at her lips. 

 

“Here we go.” She said. 

 

“What'd you find?” Emma leaned over to read the description, her head practically resting on Regina's shoulder.  “Sixteen Candles?”

 

“Mmhm.” Regina nodded as she clicked play. 

 

“Never seen it.”

 

“This was the first movie I’d ever seen. It came out not long after I brought everyone to Storybrooke.” Regina smiled settling in as the movie started. “I even cut my hair like Molly Ringwald’s for a while.”

 

Emma grinned at her. “I would have paid to see that.” 

 

Regina elbowed Emma in the side. “Not in this lifetime. Watch the movie, Swan.”

 

As the movie played Regina relaxed into the soft pillows behind her. The two women adjusted until they were comfortable and both could see the monitor. They watched in silence, barely touching until Regina rolled her shoulder.

 

“You okay?” Emma asked.

 

“I think my arm fell asleep.” She muttered. Emma snorted, trying hard not to laugh. “I just need to…” Regina shifted her arm behind Emma’s back, pulling the blonde close.

 

“Smooth.” Emma yawned. She rested her head on Regina’s shoulder and pressed her body close.

 

Within minutes, Emma’s eyes were so heavy she couldn’t keep them open any more. She forgot the movie was playing altogether and the only sound Emma could hear was the steady beat of Regina’s heart. 

  
Sleep had never come easy to Emma Swan. Except for the first night she slept with Regina Mills at her side.


End file.
